India’s energy program is extremely interesting, given the
sheer size of its electrical grid and the dire necessity to develop additional
forms of electric generation. Overall, it is the fourth-largest energy
consumer in the world behind the US, China and Russia. Yet over 300
million citizens in India function without electricity and over 800 million remain
with limited electrical access. What’s worse is 300,000-400,000 deaths
occur each year from energy poverty, as burning traditional things like wood
and animal waste indoors for cooking purposes lead to respiratory ailments that
would be mitigated with better electrical services
The July 2012 blackout throughout northern India – affecting
over 620 million people over the course of two days – was a considerable
catalyst to spur motivation. Following the outages, secretary general of
the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry Rajiv Kumar
addressed the importance of grid modernization, “One of the major reasons for
the collapse of the power grid is the major gap between demand and
supply. There is an urgent need to reform the power sector and bring
about infrastructural improvements to meet the new challenges of the growing
economy.”
Oddly enough, some of the states affected by the blackouts
in 2012 are also some of the most conducive for solar energy generation.
The solar resource map above provided by Wikipedia shows the potential for
great solar development along the northwestern and central regions of India.
National Solar Mission Underway
Many of the country’s natural resources are beginning to be
utilized to address energy poverty, and the country is addressing concerns
through projects designed to improve electric infrastructure in a
comprehensive, but prompt way. For example, the Jawaharial Nehru National
Solar Mission (JNNSM) is widely considered to be the main solar operative for
the country. Started in 2010, the project’s eventual goal is to install
20 gigawatts (1 gigawatt = 1,000 megawatts) worth of solar power into India by
2022. The project is broken down into three separate phases. Phase
I was originally slated to be completed by the end of 2013 and the Indian
government has successfully followed through – the intended 500 megawatts (MW)
have already been successfully allocated.
On May 9th, the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
(MNRE) also distributed a draft proposal for Phase II of the initiative.
While the final draft has not been released yet, the early indications are that
an additional 750 megawatts of solar energy will be installed between now and
the end of 2017.
JNNSM Private Sector Gains
Some companies have already leapt at the potential to
contribute to Phase II, including solar module manufacturer Lanco Solar Private
Ltd. The prospect of providing solar panels for the project proved to be
too enticing for Lanco, as it expects to raise $300 million in revenue through
Phase II. Satyendra Kumar, Chief Technology Officer for Lanco Solar,
added, “In the second phase of the Jawaharial Nehru National Solar Mission
indigenous manufacturing should be encouraged…we want implementation as early
as possible and on a consistent basis.” Plans are to begin production of
panels by mid-2014.
Tata Power, the country’s largest integrated power utility,
has not directly been tied to Phase II of the JNNSM plans, but it is diligently
working to invest in both solar and wind energy development on its own
accord. This week Tata announced ambitious plans to add 30-50 MW of solar
power and 150-200 MW of wind energy everyyear moving
forward. The effort is part of a long-term sustainability initiative,
which will add to the 873 MW in renewables already installed from the utility
in India.
Within Phase II, the MNRE will also create a national offshore wind energy policy to begin research this year, as it was determined the
cost effectiveness of pursuing offshore wind was comparable to conventional
fossil fuel generation.
Despite the various efforts mentioned, India remains a long
way away from achieving its sustainability goals. But the effort
certainly appears to be present, and prosperity appears to be just over the
horizon for many people in India
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